Oman sets up food depots to try to circumvent Iran war

• Bypassing maritime channels
• Warehouses to be built in Sohar
• Will connect with Hafeet railway

Oman is setting up regional food depots to establish a secure supply chain to its Gulf neighbours via land borders that bypass maritime routes targeted by Iranian drone attacks. 

Oman’s ministry of transport, communication and information technology (MTCIT) is building warehouses, which will be ready by next week, in the northern city of Sohar close to the UAE border.  

MTCIT is also setting up an online system, under the name of Bayan, to allow regional food-chain suppliers to purchase in advance.  

“The food depots will provide food security to all GCC countries… to bypass the maritime channels for safe transportation,” MTCIT said in a statement. 

MTCIT also said the depot will connect with the $2.5 billion Hafeet railway, which Oman and the UAE started to build in May last year. 

Sohar, home to Oman’s biggest free trade zone, is the starting point for the 240km line. 

The Israeli-US attacks on Iran have affected all countries in the region, severely restricting supplies within the GCC states after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. 

Oman sits outside the strategic strait and had been relatively unscathed until last week. 

On Friday, two drones struck the industrial area of Al Awahi in Sohar, killing two foreign workers and injuring several others. Earlier in the week, drone attacks were also reported near the southern port of Salalah and in the central town of Duqm. 

On Thursday, a Thai-flagged bulk carrier was attacked around 13 nautical miles off the coast of northern Oman, according to the Omani news agency. 

Further reading:

• Oman says latest attacks not affecting investment projects
• Oman contends with Iran war passenger backlog
• Oman’s trade surplus narrows on lower oil exports